The Park
by RoseLips
Summary: [oneshot] Hanajima finds Yuki as a rat when he accidentally transforms in a park and tells him how he reminds her of the real Yuki. Yuki learns how much he values Tohru as a friend through Hana's story. [Longer summary inside.]


**Hajimemashite and konnichiwa! **I don't speak Japanese! Some of my friends are learning Mandarin Chinese though…  
Anywhoo, it's me again! Feel free to groan or cheer or what-have-you, but Roselips is back for a spring break from the depths of high school (almost DONE) for a spring relaxational time.  
Guess what? I am back into Fruits Basket. Yes, I lost my freakish obsession for a while… but now I am hooked again! Dammit Takaya! You make a read too good to ignore!  
I don't want to plunge head first into another long fanfiction, so I think I'll make some oneshots!

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This little oneshot is a scene between Hana and Yuki… no romance implied. It just is a cute little story where Yuki realizes some people may understand him more than he thinks.It takes place shortly after Hana and Uo find out Tohru is living with the Sohmas, so it's quite early in the series.  
As I have written it, it has developed into a little story where Yuki realizes how much he values Tohru (in a non-romantic way, let us all realize!) as she not only is nice to him, but spreads her good nature to others. Near the end of the oneshot, Tohru realizes again how much she enjoys living with the Sohmas.  
It's a tame story, nothing to be overly rated on… only rated K+ 'cause Kyo likes to swear.

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"Let's see… what does Miss Honda need?" Yuki asked himself, walking to the small grocery shop not far from his house. "And furthermore, why didn't she want to come?" _It's not like I mind, _he thought, _but it's strange. She just asked me to go out of the blue. But why wouldn't she want to come? Usually she loves going to the market. _  
Lost in his thoughts, Yuki continued to walk slowly to the grocery shop. He ignored the several pairs of eyes that followed him as he continued his walk. After a while, he had learned to tune that out.  
However, more and more eyes soon were following him, and Yuki realized that this was because there were more and more people the closer he got to the store…  
He stopped. The shop was _overflowing. _People were running around outside, looking at stuff in stalls, and the door was crowded with busy, angry looking women who were going to get vegetables at low prices or die trying.  
_So this is why Miss Honda didn't want to come… but doesn't she realize that this will be even harder for me?! _

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Back at the house, Shigure was wondering himself why Tohru had sent Yuki off to the market.  
"Tohru," Shigure asked, folding his newspaper and placing it on the table, "Why did you send Yuki off to the market? Why didn't you go with him?"   
"Oh, that?" she asked with a smile. She blushed and leaned against the table. "Well… I never go to the markets on Saturdays! It's always so crowded but today we needed stuff so I was going to go but I remember last time I was so scared because all of these angry women kept trying to steal my vegetables and then someone knocked me down, and I was so scared that I vowed never to go to the market on a Saturday again!"  
Shigure raised an eyebrow. _Well, I managed to get something out of that incoherent rambling, _he thought. _Tohru's afraid of all the angry market women! So she sent Yuki off to fight the crowds and get her some leeks. How cute! Wait… _  
"Tohru, it's an even worse idea to send Yuki," Shigure said sternly.  
"Eh? But why? Yuki is tough, he would never let some woman steal his vegetables! Oh no, what if he just gave them to her? Because that's what Yuki's like, he's always so nice-" "Actually," Shigure cut her off, "you said they knocked you down?"  
"Oh yes," Tohru said, laughing embarrassedly. "But I was okay!"  
"Well, if some woman runs into Yuki, he's bound to transform!"  
Tohru paled. "Eh?! Oh my goodness, I never even CONSIDERED THAT! Oh my gosh! Yuki!" She jumped up from the table. "I have to go warn him!"  
"I think he already knows," said Shigure. "Don't worry Tohru, Yuki can take care of himself, and I don't think he'll risk it. He's got a good head on his shoulders."  
Kyo entered the room. "What are you guys talking about?"  
"The market! Oh Kyo, will you go to the market and make sure Yuki's alright?" Tohru asked him feverishly. _I can't bear to go… those women are so mean… I'm scared! And I've already asked Yuki to go… I can't just show up, I mean, then what would the point of me asking him to go? _  
"What? Why? Why should I care what happens to that damn rat? God, if I had my way I'd make sure he wasn't alright!"  
"But Kyo, he's fighting danger to get me leeks!" Tohru cried.  
"Leeks?! Dammit, I hope he _never _comes back then!" Kyo stormed out of the room.

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_Well… here we go…_ thought Yuki, walking closer to the shop. _There aren't many items on Miss Honda's list… maybe I can… _  
"EXCUSE ME, WHAT IS THE HOLDUP?" screamed a woman behind Yuki. He felt her poke him with her umbrella. "YOUNG MAN, I HAVE TO MAKE DINNER FOR SIX KIDS TONIGHT! AND YOU'RE JUST STANDING IN THE DOORWAY LIKE YOU OWN THE PLACE-"  
Yuki turned around and smiled at the woman politely. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be in the way. The shop is very crowded, but I'll gladly give you my place in line- here, you seem to be in more of a rush than I am."  
The woman with her hair tied in a bandana and an apron still tied around her waist turned red. "Why… I'm sorry. It's fine, I'm just a bit overstressed. I… I apologize."  
"No need," Yuki said, moving over to let her into the shop before him. "Go on."  
_What a chivalrous young boy! _The woman thought. _And so beautiful… _  
After she had entered the shop, Yuki braced himself again and walked in. It was unnerving, all these women everywhere, but he managed to navigate himself well enough. When he got in a sticky spot, he simply talked to the women and asked them if he could get through. Their reaction usually involved staring and letting him pass. He managed to make his way to the counter where the blushing cashier took his money and bowed.  
It was nearing sunset when he began the walk home. He took a detour through a nearby park, and it was a lot less crowded. The park was empty except for a few kids playing in the sandbox. Yuki again got lost in his thoughts. He wasn't paying attention, and passed by a bench a little girl was sitting on. She jumped off at the same time he walked by and ran into him.  
"Hiroko!" a voice called.  
"Coming!" the girl shouted, and ran away from Yuki as he transformed. She didn't see anything as the puff of pink smoke enveloped the bench and Yuki became a rat. He dragged his clothes behind the bench, which was obscured by several small bushes. The bags had fallen behind the bushes as well, but thankfully nothing had spilled out.  
Yuki leaned against the bush. All he could do was wait to change back and hope that no one would see him. Unfortunately, the bushes would be the extent of protection the park would give him, and he couldn't very well leave his bags and clothes here.  
The bush couldn't support the weight of the small rat and in an instant Yuki fell through it, tumbling out on the other side under the bench. Someone else was on the bench now.  
"A rat," a soft voice said. A soft _familiar _voice.

Saki Hanajima was sitting on the bench, wearing a black cloak and holding a black umbrella. _Umbrellas? _Yuki wondered. _Why does everyone have them? Is it supposed to rain?_  
"A rat," Hanajima repeated. "With purple eyes. How extraordinary." She gently picked Yuki up. "I know someone with eyes like that. I see him every day. Hello, little rat."  
_Hanajima has a softness for animals, _Yuki thought. _I never would have guessed. _  
"My name is Saki Hanajima. You give off peculiar electric waves, almost… I don't know. Almost human. Almost familiar. And your eyes, your eyes are familiar. Yes, they remind me of the Prince's."  
Yuki's eyes widened.  
"Yes, like the Prince, you have wide purple eyes. But they're also filled with sadness."  
Yuki cocked his head. "Yes, I can see it. And I can also see that you are by yourself, little Rat, with no rat friends in tow. So like the Prince. May I tell you, little rat, a bit about the person who reminds me of you? I do believe you are more intelligent than the average rat, and you seem quite lonely." She put Yuki down on her knee.  
"There is a boy at my school, little rat. His name is Yuki Sohma, and he is quite the object of the girls' affections. Everyone likes him, he is quite good at everything, yet… he gives off lonely electric signals. I do not understand it, little rat. He's so popular, yet so lonely. And his eyes. You can see in his eyes his deep loneliness, yet he almost seems to mask this loneliness by being friendly and good at school and sports. It's almost as if he thinks that by being good at those things, he will lose his loneliness. But, little rat, it does not seem like it is working." She picked Yuki up again. "I almost always see his loneliness. His smiles never reach his eyes, and he never seems to truly be anything other than a friendly, nice boy. He never seems to be a person. I know that sounds rude, but he never really seems happy. He always seems so lonely, even when he is around other people. Like you, little Rat. You are all by yourself, no other rats around you, and your eyes tell a story… a story of unhappiness. Tell me little rat, do you like yourself? I know it is a foolish question to ask an animal. You're a lovely rat, and you seem like you'd have many good qualities, but do they mean anything to you?"  
She sighed and looked at the setting sun. "The Prince, I don't think, sees that. I honestly believe that he does not like himself, though everyone else can see so many good things about him. But I don't think they really matter to him. I don't think he has the ability to see the good things in himself. He always seems so content, but it isn't believable. Well, to those who want to believe, it is. He has a fan club, can you believe, little Rat? They see him as happy because that's how they want to see him. They seem him as the mask that he puts up, and therefore they like him. People like him because he wants them to like him, because he puts up this very likeable front. But no one really relates to him. It's just like his electric signals. No one has similar ones except for perhaps his cousin Kyo. But perhaps Kyo sees Yuki in a way that the students at our school do not. After all, they do live together. Yes, Kyo, Yuki, and Tohru Honda."  
Hana closed her eyes. "Tohru Honda… well… she saved me. In more ways than one. She is probably the first person who's ever really loved me. And… I think she loves Yuki the way she loves me. When she's around, I see the Prince's smiles reach his eyes. I think the Prince is learning to be himself around her. And that's understandable. Tohru is the kind of girl where you don't feel bad being yourself. Does that make sense? With Tohru… she can just understand people. And with her, it's okay to let your guard down, almost easy. And with Tohru, I've seen a difference in the Prince. Do you know what she's told me, little rat? 'Yuki is such a good person,' she's said. 'In many ways, he is just like the girls at school see him. Yet beyond that, he is a genuine person. When he lets you get to know him, you truly value him as a friend.'"  
The little rat's eyes glistened. "She has taught me to think the way I do, little rat. She has taught me to search for the something in all people that they hide yet are struggling to show to the world. She has taught me to look beyond the mask and see the person inside. 'Hana, you can do one of two things,' she has said. 'You can see the person for the mask, or you can see the mask for the person. If you see what they want you to see, you are seeing a part of them, but unless you give them a chance and look deeper into who they are, you'll never fully be able to understand or love them. Because, like my mother said to me once- there's good in everyone. Finding it may be harder sometimes, but it's never, ever impossible.'"  
_  
Miss Honda. She knows, _Yuki thought. _She knows. She knew before I told her.   
She knew that I was struggling to hold on. She knew that I wasn't as happy as I could have been.   
She knew that being my friend was probably a risk. Yet she took it without worry, and taught me that it was okay to open up. She taught me that it is okay to be myself and let my guard down.   
And she's spreading her way of thinking. Miss Hanajima- I'd never guess she'd have seen me. But she knows Miss Honda- had they ever talked about it? Or is it selfish to think that I had ever been a topic of conversation?   
But now I know. Miss Honda is spreading her love, her wisdom- she's spreading her kindness. And it's already influencing Miss Hanajima so much.  
They see me. So it's not impossible. It's not impossible to let someone truly see who you are, even if you try so hard to hide it.  
And it's possible for them to still like you, even when they know you. _

"One funny thing," Hanajima said with a soft laugh. "He always calls Tohru 'Miss Honda'." She smiled at him. "It's his princeliness again. It's funny."  
"I don't expect him to change," she said, grasping her umbrella. "Well, if he does, it is his own journey to take. And I'm sure 'Miss Honda' will help him along the way. And I think," she stood up. Yuki sat on the bench, looking at her. "Yes. I think that I will help him too. Because after all, he does have pleasant electric signals."  
She picked Yuki up. "I thank you for listening to me, little rat."  
"Hana!" called a voice. Both Yuki and Hanajima turned.  
"Hana! What's that you have?"

It was Tohru, running, out of breath. _I have to find Yuki! He's been gone for so long, what if he transformed? What if something bad happened to him just because I was too afraid of housewives to go to the market?! _  
She had run to the market and was now running through the park. She ran up to Hanajima.  
"It's a rat," she said. "A very kind little rat. I was telling it a story. It was a very good listener."  
Tohru smiled. "Yes, animals do tend to be very good listeners! What's its name?"  
"I think… I will name it… Yuki. Yes, I will name the rat Yuki. It reminds me of the Prince, do you not agree?" Hana held out the rat to Tohru.  
_That's because it is Yuki!_ Tohru thought with a gasp.  
"Uh… yes! Yes it does! In fact, I think I will give it to him! Uh, I mean, I'll give the rat to Yuki as a present because it is so like him."  
"There's no need to get flustered," Hanajima said with a smile. "What are you doing here?"  
"Me? Uh… just out for a good healthy run. Yep, running is good for the body and the soul!" She began doing stretches incorrectly on the pavement. "One two! Ah, feel the burn."  
"I just… I felt like I needed to be here," Hanajima said. "Yes. Something was calling me to this bench. Perhaps it was the electric signals of my new friend," she said, smiling at the rat. "I am glad to have met you, little one. You have helped me to organize my thoughts." Hanajima looked to the sky. "Ah, I need to go. It's getting dark."  
She put up her umbrella. "Hana… it's not r-" Tohru started.  
It began to rain. "Oh, well what do I know," Tohru said with a giggle. "I need to go home too! Can't run in the rain. Might catch cold."  
"Goodbye, Tohru. See you at school."  
Hanajima disappeared into the rain.  
"Phew. That was a close one! Yuki, are you alright? Did she see you transform?" She looked into the rat's eyes. "Yuki… have you been crying?"  
With a puff of pink smoke, Yuki changed back. Tohru began to freak out, but he took her face in his hands and turned her head to look him in the eye.  
"Miss Honda…" he said. "Tohru…" he whispered. He pulled her close to him and gave her a hug. Within moments, he was a rat again.

_But in those brief few seconds… when I was holding her… I wanted to say thank you.  
I wanted to thank her for seeing what no one else had ever tried to see.   
I wanted to thank her for still seeing me for who I was.   
I wanted to thank her for still talking to me when she found who I was.  
And I wanted to thank her for helping me and being a friend. A friend like I'd never thought I'd have.  
A true friend.   
A best friend.   
Thank you, Tohru. You are truly a wonderful person, and a wonderful friend. _

"Are you all right, Yuki?" Tohru asked. "Come on, let's go home. Where are your things?"

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"Ah, are we back now? Did we brave the storm?" Shigure asked. Tohru smiled and nodded, putting down the shopping bags and Yuki's clothes.  
"Yes! We did it! We ventured into the storm and came home!"  
She took Yuki out of her coat pocket and set him in the dining room while she took the groceries back to the kitchen. When she came back, he was already transformed and buttoning his shirt.  
"Did you get everything on the list?" Tohru asked.  
"Yes, Miss Honda. That, and more."  
"More?" asked Shigure. "That sounds wonderful!"  
"He's BACK? Dammit, I thought he drowned in the storm!" shouted Kyo, who had appeared in the doorway.  
"You stupid cat, it's barely even drizzling."  
"You shut up you damn… you damn rat…" Kyo said, out of breath.  
"Can't even think of a comeback?"  
"You know how I get when it rains!"  
"So what's the 'and more'?" Shigure asked, his mind still fixated on the kitchen.  
"Oh, well, there was a special sale, so I bought double of one of the items!"  
"Double? Ah, of what?"  
Yuki smiled. "Leeks!"  
"DAMMIT! Who would ever have a sale on leeks?"  
"Kyo, try to keep it down, I have a headache," moaned Shigure. "I think that _dinner _would make it better…"  
"Right!" Tohru said. "I'll go make us something!"  
"And NO LEEKS," said Kyo, breathing heavily.  
"No leeks," Tohru promised.

_I see it,_ Yuki thought as he saw Tohru walk into the kitchen. _Not only in me. She sees it in others. She knows Kyo isn't always angry… she knows that in all reality, he likes her more than he lets on…   
And sometimes he yells at her. And sometimes I feel like yelling too, never at her. She sees me and Kyo fight. I can tell she hates it, but she doesn't show it. She just keeps on smiling because she knows that if she's happy, it's hard for us not to be.  
But sometimes I worry. Is she only happy because she's afraid that she can't be sad around us? Is she happy because it's her responsibility? _  
"Yuki!" called Tohru. "Can you come here a second?"

He walked into the kitchen. She was starting the rice cooker with a big smile on her face.  
"I just wanted to thank you," she said. "You went to the store for me even though it was hard on you because of your curse, but you still went and got everything on the list! I just wish I could do something for you!"  
_She doesn't realize_, he thought. He took her hand in his, and gently kissed it.  
"Thank you, Miss Honda," he said while she blushed furiously. "But you already do so much. You have no idea."  
"Eh? Uh, well, thanks," she said. "I think." Yuki gently let go of her hand and left the kitchen.

She stood in the kitchen, thinking. _Sometimes I get overwhelmed by him, _she thought. _Sometimes he is so much like a prince that I just get all flustered and don't know what to do with myself! But… I have a feeling… something is changing in Yuki.  
He's smiling more. He's laughing more. And he's dropping his guard in front of me more than he ever has.   
Yuki is learning to be himself! _She smiled. _That's so wonderful! And everyone else is really beginning to see him too. And soon, everyone will know how wonderful he is! And everyone will see Yuki like I see him, the way it should be.   
Hana mentioned to me, once, that Yuki didn't seem very happy. I was surprised. But I guess… Hana just saw him for who he was. So I told her. I told her about him. I told her how he was afraid to show his true self. She knew! She understood!   
Yuki never would have thought that people would be able to somewhat understand him. And I get why! How can you be understood when you're under a curse? But…   
If he gives people a chance… _

_He'll learn… _

_That people will love him. People will accept him.  
Because he has value. Because he has worth.  
Because since he is Yuki… he just makes the world a little bit better. Because he's around, he just makes me a little bit happier. _

She looked in on the dining room. Shigure was still reading the paper, Kyo had his head down on the table, and Yuki was deep in thought.  
_Still though… I wish he wouldn't fluster me so much. Sometimes… he really is a prince. _  
Kyo looked up at her. He smiled. "So are we havin' leeks for dinner?"  
Tohru shook her head. "Nope. No leeks."  
He smiled again- and she noticed his smile met his eyes. "Good. I'm too tired to deal with leeks."

_And Kyo… _

_Kyo isn't as angry anymore. Even at Yuki.   
Kyo… he smiles now too. And he calms down more… and…   
I wouldn't be nearly as happy if he wasn't around. I wouldn't be nearly as happy as I am today if he wasn't my friend. _She smiled back at him. _   
I just hope he realizes how much he is. I hope he realizes that just like Yuki, he's a wonderful person too, in his own way. I hope he knows how much he means to me.   
I hope he knows how much I l- _  
Her thoughts were interrupted by the beeping of the rice cooker.  
She walked into the kitchen.

_Mom, I hope you see how happy I am. And without them… Shigure, Yuki, Kyo… I wouldn't be as happy as I am. I miss you so much… but they help me. It's like… they're my family now.  
I wish you could have met them, Mom. Then you'd see how wonderful the Sohmas are. _

_I'm so glad I'm a part of them, Mom. _

_I'm so glad. _


End file.
